Deep water production system

ABSTRACT

A complete system for developing underwater hydrocarbon fields which utilizes a floating topside facility, a template fixed to the submarine terrain below the topside facility, and a composite riser interconnecting the template and the topside facility. The template includes subsea well bases from which all the wells are drilled. Guide tubes are provided from the template, through the riser, and up to the topside facility for guiding control lines, flow lines, and the like. An improved substantially vertical entry connection means between the ends of the well lines and the well heads is also provided.

United States Patent [72] lnventors Paul L. Gassett Houston, Tex.; Richard J. Goeken, Lagos, Nigeria; James E. Knizner, Houston; Francis M. Smith, Houston, Tex.; Lawrence M. Wilson, Ventura, Calif. [21] Appl. No. 872,298 [22] Filed Oct. 29, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee Gulf Oil Corporation Pittsburgh, Pa.

[54] DEEP WATER PRODUCTION SYSTEM 27 Claims, 17 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl l66l.6, 61/46.5,114/.5T [51] Int. Cl F2lb 43/01 [50] Field of Search 166/.5, .6; 175/7; 61146.5; 114/.5 D, .5 T;l38/1l1,112, 113

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,111,692 ll/l963 Cox l66/.5 3,261,398 7/1966 Haeber l66/.5

I an:

3,292,615 12/1966 Haeber- 166/ .5 3,366,173 1/1968 McIntosh 166/.5 3,373,570 3/1968 l-lindman... l66/.5 3,472,032 10/1969 Howard l66/.5 3,486,343 12/1969 Gibson et al'.. 61/465 3,488,967 1/1970 Toossr 6l/46.5 3,504,741 4/1970 Baker et a1 166/.5 3,513,910 5/1970 Towsend, Jr. 166/.5 3,525,388 8/1970 McClintock l66/.5

Primary Examiner-James A. Leppink Attorneys-Meyer Neishloss, Deane E. Keith and William Kovensky ABSTRACT: A complete system for developing underwater hydrocarbon fields which utilizes a floating topside facility, a template fixed to the submarine terrain below the topside facility, and a composite riser interconnecting the template and the topside facility. The template includes subsea well bases from which all the wells are drilled. Guide tubes are provided from the template, through the riser, and up to the topside facility for guiding control lines, flow lines, and the like. An improved substantially vertical entry connection means between the ends of the well lines and the well heads is also provided.

PATENTEU 0m 1 2 IQYI 34612.17?

sum 1 or 8 INVENTORS. PAUL L. GASSETT RICHARD J. GOEKE/V JAMES E. KN/ZNER FRANCIS A4. SMITH LAWRENCE M MILSO/V FL 0/4 TING TOPS/DE PAC/L TV PATENIED um I 21911 SHEET 2 OF 8 IN VENTORS. PAUL 4. cmsssrr RICHARD J. (FOE/(EN #4455 E. K/V/ZNE FRANCIS A4. 644/7 WEA/cE M. wmso/v PATENTEDDBHZIQH 3,612,177

SHEET 3 OF 8 IN VENTORS PAUL 1.. 61155577 RIC/MRO .1. GOA-KEN JAMES E. k/V/Z/VE FRANCIS MSM/T ZAWAENCE M. MLSON PATENTEU nm 1 2 1971 SHEET 0F 8 INVENTORS. PAUL 1.. anssarr RICHARD J. GOA-KEN muss E. xw/zzvee RA/vc/s M. SMITH LAWRENCE M WILSON PATENIED nm 1 2 ISYI SHEET 7 OF 8 IN VENTORS. PAUL L. 64555 77' ay/4 0 J. GOEKEN JAMES E. KN/ZA/ER FRAA/c/s M. SMITH LAWRENCE M WILSON DEEP WATER PRODUCTION SYSTEM The present invention pertains to methods and apparatus for producing hydrocarbons from the earth in deep water. As used herein, the term deep water" shall be understood to mean water depths of approximately 600 feet and more, or, more basically, depths beyond which bottom supported platforms are no longer economical.

In recent times, the last to 30 years, the search for new hydrocarbon deposits has moved progressively further offshore into progressively deeper waters. The reason for this movement, among other things, is that a hydrocarbon deposit or field must be of a certain minimum size in order to make production of the fluids therein economical. This minimum economic size has increased with the passage of time even though the petroleum industry has become more automated in order to hold final consumer prices to the lowest possible levels. Deposits under dry land of this gradually increasing minimum economic size are becoming more difficult to find. Deposits under relatively shallow water, 0 to about 150 feet, have long been tapped, and such relatively large reservoirs under shallow water are becoming more difficult to find. in producing hydrocarbon fluids in accessible reservoirs under relatively shallow water, the technological problems are little different from those on land. One common method is to simply float a barge or the like to the location, sink the barge, and operate as on land from the dry top of the sunken barge. Of course, this particular method ceases to be practical and economical at depths greater than about 50 to 100 feet. In slightly deeper depths, rigid platforms mounted on the bottom and extending above the surface of the water again permit land based like operations. Since these relatively shallow water depths are usually close to shore, handling of the produced fluids caused no particular problems in that they are simply flowed or pumped directly from the wells to onshore handling equipment through underwater pipelines.

Currently, the frontier of offshore production as far as water depth is concerned is in a range of about l50 to about 400 feet. Sufficiently large reservoirs at these depths are presently adequate, but now it is necessary to go to still greater water depths on the various continental shelves to maintain the high volume of low priced hydrocarbon fluids that the economy of this country has long enjoyed. A few deep water" wells have been drilled but not completed with existing techniques, but the large scale developments of relatively large oil fields in deep water has not yet been attempted or accomplished.

Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a system for developing oil wellhead opposed to drilling single wells, in deep water starting from after the existence of the oil field has been proven, and carrying on through drilling the plurality of wells required to economically produce the field, through collecting and preliminarily handling the produced fluids, and so on through the entire life of the field. Such a system may encounter a host of problems, and the invention provides means to anticipate and accommodate substantially all of them.

As the search for economic oil fields proceeds into deeper water, the prior used methods and techniques, which methods and techniques are essentially land based like in nature, must reach a practical limit beyond which they may no longer be used. These prior methods and techniques generally revolve about some kind of structure which is rigidly fixed to the bottom around the oil well or wells. Such structures are known in the art as platforms and take various embodiments. They may be permanent platforms which are erected in situ, they may be devices which will float and include a plurality of legs with means to urge the legs downwardly until they seat in the bottom, after which the platform is literally jacked-up" on the legs, or they may be submersible devices which are floated into position and submerged to set on bottom. These structures which allow essentially land based like operations cannot be used in deep water for several reasons. For one, the cost of such a structure would be prohibitively high. Secondly, such construction would be extremely hazardous, and finally because of a lack of suitable techniques and facilities, it is doubtful that it is even possible to build and install such a structure strong enough to withstand the current, tidal, wind, and other forces it must withstand in deep water.

Current offshore methods and apparatus, to a large extent, suffer from a piece-meal approach rather than a systems approach to the problems involved. For example, after existence of a field has been proven, one or more platforms would be brought out to the location and, usually, a plurality of wells drilled. Such a platform might be self-sustaining or it might require other supporting equipment, i.e., tender sustained. Then, after the wells are completed, the drilling equipment is removed and some accommodation for collection and processing of the hydrocarbon fluids is made. Historically, the collection means have simply been a pipeline running from the well or wells to a platform or to shore and into conventional land based collection and handling means. Recently, many proposals have been made for bringing storage tanks to the site, such as by providing submerged tanks or floating tanks. A pipeline approach is not applicable to most deep water locations because such locations are generally relatively far from the shore and the cost of laying long, deep water pipelines is prohibitive. Furthermore, the friction loss and the movement of the fluids through the pipeline may be excessive. In fact, it may well be impossible for the fluids to flow without external driving means. The provision of such driving means, pumps, and the like, presents new problems in deep water ofi'shore petroleum production. Another aspect of this prior piece-meal approach is that the periodic servicing most wells require necessitates bringing a workover rig to the site to permit such workover and other well servicing operations. In the present invention, many wells can be worked-over from one location, thereby effecting substantial economies over the prior piecemeal approach.

, Among the more recent technological advances in offshore petroleum production is the use of floating vessels to serve in the place of the various kinds of bottom mounted platforms heretofore used. These floating vessels have taken on many different configurations. Actual ships have been modified so as to become drilling ships, which modification comprises, basically, the provisionof a hole in the hull and a drilling rig o'r rigs on the deck over the hole, with drilling being carried on through the hole. Such ship-shape drilling vessels suffer from several disadvantages not present in the apparatus of the invention. Such modified drilling ships have not been equipped for handling or storage of produced fluids. Additionally, because of its shape, such a modified ship is not sufficiently stable to be used continuously in other than calm waters. The shape of the deck of such a ship does not permit efficient use of the total areas for oil field operation. A ship is most stable when perpendicular to the direction of the prevailing seas. Once anchored however, its orientation is not easily changed to accommodate changes in the direction of the seas.

The present invention does include the use of the concept of a floating rather than a bottom supported apparatus the surface of the water overlying the location of the wells. Some of the developments of prior floating vessels are incorporated in one embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. This embodiment comprises a floating platform of essentially triangular shape in plan view, and provided with a pontoon member at each of the three comers. The pontoons serve as produced fluid storage capacity, as well as flotation means for the entire platform, and provide means for attachment of anchoring means to hold the platform over the location.

In a second embodiment of the floating topside facility, means are provided to expand storage capacity as required. Upon first beginning production from a new offshore oil field, certain production estimates will be available. As development proceeds, it may be found that the estimate was low, and/or Between larger amount of fluids can be produced, thus necessitating more each pair capacity. With the apparatus of this second embodiment means are provided to add additional storage capacity as required, while simultaneously increasing the stability of the floating or semisubmerged vessel, and decreasing the cost of storage per unit volume of fluid.

A second major segment of the invention comprises a drilling template which is mounted on the bottom. In prior methods, underwater wells were often drilled at widely spaced locations. At the outset, this prior system entailed a substantial amount of duplication of effort, in that the drill ship or other topside-drilling means had to be moved from place to place in developing a single field. Upon each well completion, the flowline was brought to a centralized location, such as a rigid bottom supported platform in shallow water or on shore. These methods entailed many relatively long flow lines, and a proportional number of relatively long well control lines. Here again, development has been, essentially, simply moving land based operations to offshore locations.

In the present invention, the drilling template is lowered and fixed to the sea floor at an optimum location with relation to the field to be developed. A plurality of wells are then drilled through the template, directional drilling techniques being employed. An occasional remote well, which may be necessitated by the peculiarities of a particular oil or gas field, will have its flowlines and control lines brought to members. the template, wherein they will be combined with the other flow lines and control lines from the template wells, and all of these flow lines and control lines are brought to a common riser connector location forming part of the template. The advantages of this portion of the invention are that a diverless system is provided, and a riser connection for cooperation with all wells is provided on the template, whereby well control, repair, maintenance, and well relocations are simplified. Further, the total length of all lines is substantially reduced.

An important aspect of the drilling template is an improved diverless connector forming a part of the Christmas tree, or wellhead structure, at each well. More specifically, this portion of the invention comprises moving lines substantially vertically into the Christmas tree to guide and effect the connection of the lines to connection means formed in the side of the Christmas tree. Prior underwater connectors are exceedingly expensive, make a complicated horizontal connection, and often require the services of a diver. The connector of the invention is simple and inexpensive providing a positive connection which may be disconnected at will, utilizing no internal moving parts, and utilizing sealing principles of proven reliability.

The final major portion of the system of the invention comprises the production riser which is adapted to be releasably connected to the common connection point on the drilling template, to which all the flow and control lines for all of the wells are brought. The riser is connected to and suspended from whatever topside facility is in use, and, in operative condition, has its lower end connected to the riser connection on the drilling template. One important advantage of the riser of the invention is that in the event of an emergency, such as the frequently occurring severe storms in certain waters of the earth, all connections between the riser and all of the wells are quickly and simultaneously broken, and all the wells are automatically closed in, by simply releasing the riser from the riser connector of the template. The riser may be then raised slightly, and will ride out the storm without damaging the wells, or their flow or control lines. When normal operation may be resumed, the lower end of the riser is reconnected to the riser connector of the template by any suitable means such as guide lines, which were slackened when the riser was raised, high resolution sonar, closed circuit television, or the like. The riser of the invention is provided with sufficient additional capacity to permit inclusion of additional wells and their flow lines and control lines into itself.

One of the important advantages of the present invention is that the exact locations of the deep water wells are fixed and known with respect to the surface facilities, thus simplifying well control, reentry, maintenance, and repair.

Thus, there is provided a complete deep water production system that is simple in design, usable in all waters of the earth, economical, and utilizing principles of proven reliability.

The above and other advantages of the invention will be pointed out or will become evident in the following detailed description and claims, and in the accompanying drawing also forming a part of the disclosure, in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of one embodiment of the production system of the invention;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are sequential diagrammatic views of the installation of the center landing base and the drilling template;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the drilling template;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of installation of a template wellhead;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the riser assembly;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing some details of the riser;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are horizontal cross-sectional views through the riser showing two different embodiments of the guide tube arrangement;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the improved diverless well connector of the invention shown on a remote well;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing a template wellhead in position with respect to the template;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 11 showing the improved connector of the invention in regard to a template well with some parts broken away and in cross section;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 14l4 and 15-15 of FIG. 13; and

FIGS. 16 and 17 are progressive perspective views of another embodiment of the topside facility of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. I, the invention is shown in use and comprises a floating topside facility generally designated by reference numeral 10, a production riser l2, and a drilling template 14, with the riser serving to interconnect the wells connected to the template 14 with the floating facility 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the field being produced has had the wells already drilled, and are shown as comprising a plurality of remote wells 16, and a plurality of wells 18 whose wellheads are part of or joined to the template 14. The template and the manner of connection of the wells thereto will be described in more detail below.

Floating production facility 10 is of generally triangular configuration, and comprises three pontoon members 20, which are interconnected by suitable structural assemblies 22. A top deck 24 is fixed to the structural assemblies 22 to both form a rigid structure, and to serve as a working area for the various operations that will be performed from floating facility 10. Not shown, but also included on the floating facility, are other installations such as sleeping quarters, cooking areas, a heliport, equipment and tool and associated storage facilities, produced fluid processing facilities, various kinds of pumps, and the like. Mounted on the deck 24 is a utility derrick 26 positioned on the top deck for use in drilling and/or well workover operations. The top of the production riser i2 is joined to the floating facility lit) at the underside of opening 28. The riser may be connected to and disconnected from the topside facility in the same manner that present drilling risers are attached to present floating drilling vessels.

As shown in the drawing, see FIG. 7, the top deck 24" is actually a pair of decks 30 and 32, comprising an upper deck and a lower deck. The actual connection points of the various parts of the production riser to the floating facility 10 is accomplished between the decks 30 and 32 and below bottom deck 32.

The pontoons 20 serve as 16, fluid storage means, and as flotation means to keep the entire facility 10 floating in the water. To this end, each comprises an enlarged bottom portion 34, and a smaller diameter upright portion 36. Anchor chains 38 pass through pulleys 37 or the like on enlarged portion 34 at the upper surface thereof, are connected to winches 39 or the like on the top deck 40, and the other ends of said anchor chains are connected to anchoring means at positions on the bottom spaced from the floating facility 10, in any suitable manner. A plurality of anchors and chains will be provided at each pontoon, only one being shown for the sake of clarity.

As an indication of orders 16, magnitude only, it is anticipated that the total height of each pontoon will be approximately 200 feet, and the distance between pontoons will be about 300 feet, measured center to center. The diameter of the center opening 28 will be about 50 feet.

The top of each pontoon member comprises a top deck 40, surrounded by a safety guard rail 42. Each top deck 40 carries an off-loading boom 44, adapted to unload the stored fluid products in the joined together hollow pontoons onto barges, tankers, or to a remote off-loading facility such as a monobuoy, as per existing offshore fluid-handling techniques. Catwalks 46 interconnect the main deck structure 24 with each pontoon top deck 40, so that the off-loading area at the top of each pontoon is somewhat separated or isolated from the remainder of the topside floating facility 10, for purposes of safety. Other guard rails, not shown, are provided around the working areas where needed.

Another problem in oil field operations from floating vessels is that of ballasting the vessel as its weight changes during various stages. Initially, the enlarged bottom portions 34 of the pontoon members 20 are full of sea water and the upright portions 36 are full of air including the usual ballast trim tank, to maintain a predetermined draft. Every vessel has a nominal draft, i.e., a certain height of it which should be underwater to achieve optimum stability. As production proceeds, the produced fluids are pumped into a conduit at the top of upright portion 36 of each pontoon member 20 and displaces the sea water out of suitable openings in the bottom of the pontoons, all as is well known to those skilled in this art. The nominal draft is maintained by adding sea water to the ballast trim tank in each upright portion 36 to compensate for the increased buoyancy caused by displacement of sea water by the produced hydrocarbon fluids.

As shown in the drawings, top deck 24 is of pentagonal shape and the catwalks 46 interconnect said deck and the wellhead 40. This showing is purely illustrative. The top deck 24 could as well cover the entire available top space between the pontoons or could take any one of a myriad of other shapes, or could even overhang the structural assemblies 22 holding the floating facility 10 together.

Further to the otherwise conventional handling of the ballasting problem, the invention provides that top deck 24, comprising one or both of upper and lower decks 30 and 32, or the space between said decks 30 and 32, could be formed into interconnected fluidtight compartments to serve as both additional produced fluid storage facility and as a supplement to, or even in place of, the conventional ballast trim tanks in the pontoon assemblies 20.

Referring now to the schematic and consecutive views of FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the manner of mounting and drilling template 14 on the sea floor is shown in detail. The first step comprises lowering a conventional subsea landing base L, complete with its guiding posts and cables C. A relatively large hole H, on the order of 4 or 5 feet in diameter, is washed out or drilled into the sea floor through the landing base L to a depth of several hundred feet, or more or less as required, The hole H is then cased with well casing K and cemented in place, all in the usual manner. Up to this point, either the floating facility 10 of the invention, or other conventional subseadrilling equipment may be used. One of the topside facilities of the invention will be brought into use no later than after the wells are drilled and completed.

The center post 48 of the template is then fixed in the hole by filling the annular space between support 48 and easing K with cement using conventional well cementing techniques.

Referring to P16. 4, the template is shown cemented in place and ready for drilling wells.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the drilling template 14 is shown in detail, and comprises a plurality of central support rings 50, comprising an upper ring and a plurality of lower rings. Template 14 is of generally prismatic shape in plan view, with 20 wellhead Christmas tree support pads being provided. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that more or less of such locations can be provided, with the overall size of the template being adjusted accordingly. in the example template shown in the drawings, with said 20 pads, as an indication of orders of magnitude of size, the template will have an overall size of about feet in diameter and about 100 to feet in height. Only some portions of the support structure are shown in the drawing for the sake of clarity. The supporting structure consists of a plurality of bottom radial members 52, an equal number of top radial members 54, bottom and top outer crosspiece members 56 and 58, a suitable number of outer vertical connecting members 60, and bracing pieces as shown and/or of other suitable configuration. From the junction of each two top outer crosspiece members 58 with a vertical member 60, a downwardly and outwardly inclined member 62 is provided, running from said junction to the uppermost support ring 50. Each inclined member 62 is fixed to the remaining structure, particularly top radial members 54 and the upper of the two lower rings 50, by suitable bracing pieces or the like not numbered.

Between each two inclined members 62, and in cooperation with each top outer crosspiece member 58, means, including a support 64, is provided to carry a bundle of guide tubes 66, cooperable with the Christmas tree 68 at each template well location. The Christmas tree 68 of each well will be described in more detail below. At some or all locations defined by each bottom outer cross piece member 56, is a pad 70, through which each well is drilled and on which the wellhead is later mounted. The pad is essentially a conventional subsea well guide base forming part of the template 14. The pads 70 are integrally joined to the template 14 when it is fabricated. Each pad has guidelines to permit diverless installation of wellhead equipment and to assure proper alignment of the wellhead to the template. The guide tubes 66 extend from an upper riser connector common junction member 72 on the template, down to a position in spaced relation to the template well Christmas tree 68. The actual drilling of the wells is done from the surface by the use of the pads 70 in wholly conventional manner. After the well is drilled and completed, Then the Christmas tree 68 of the invention is installed on the pad in the conventional manner.

Referring to FIG. 6, the manner of connection of a pad 70 to the drilling template 14 is shown in detail, along with a showing of the lowering of a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree 68 of the invention, carrying the usual subsea guide arm structure or spider S, is shown being lowered on drill pipe D and on the guide cables C forming part of each pad 70. The Christmas tree 68 and its manner of operation will appear in detail below.

The spacer 73 is also shown, and it comprises structural elements not numbered, assembled in a manner similar to the template.

As is known, during drilling, very heavy equipment including blowout preventers, will be mounted on each pad 70. To protect template 14 from accidental contact with such heavy equipment, spacer means 73, comprising structural members similar to members 56, 58 and 60, are provided to integrally join each pad to each bottom outer crosspiece member 56. Thus, a gap or space exists between each wellhead or Christmas tree on the template, and this space is compensated for by the wellhead arm extension described below.

Means are provided to deliver fluids from remote wells 16, one of which is shown in FIG. 5 by way of example, to the riser connector 72 on the template. To this end, along each of the inclined members 62, a bundle of guide tubes 74, which are in addition to but the same as the guide tubes 66 between each pair of inclined members 62, are provided. Not all of the guide tubes 74 need be used dependent upon the number of remote wells.

The manner of connecting the lines from a remote well to the template 141 of the invention is as follows. The remote well 16 may be any distance away from the drilling template, as far as 2 miles as an indication of orders of magnitude. After the remote well is drilled and completed, the lines from the well are at the surface. Once the well is completed with its lines at the surface, a wire line carrying an inflatable buoy at one end is pushed through an appropriate tube of the riser of the invention and out a particular guide tube. The buoy is inflated in the usual manner and floats to the surface carrying the wire line. The wire line is then attached to the upper end of a line from the remote well 16. Then, by lowering the line to the sea floor and by pulling the wire line, the line from the remote well can be brought from the remote well through the guide tube, and up to the riser base. Another segment is run down the mating riser guide tube and connected to the remote well line, whereby the remote well is included on the template 14 of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 7, the upper and lower ends of the riser are shown in detail, with the lower end of the riser about to come into cooperation with the upper connector end of the drilling template. The template riser connector assembly 72 comprises a guide ring 76 through which all of the various guide tubes, with the control and flow lines they carry, pass. Centrally within the guide ring 76 and at the upper end of central support 418, assembly 72 comprises a stud 78 for cooperation with the lower end of the riser assembly 12. A key 80 is provided at the upper surface of guide ring 76 for cooperation with a mating key slot 82 in the inside lower end of the riser assembly, to assure proper registration of the riser to the assembly 72. Basically, the riser 12 comprises inner and outer main tubular members, with a plurality of guide tubes, each of which carries a single-flow line, control line, or the like, in the annular space between the two members. An important advantage of the present invention is that all movement of flow lines, control lines, and the like, in both the riser and on the drilling template M, is through guide tubes. The provision of mating guide tubes, providing continuous passageways from the surface to the well head, yields the advantages of diverless operation, and makes the overall operation sure, certain and economical.

More in detail, riser 12 comprises a plurality of individual lengths or manifold sections 84, which together make up the riser 12. Each length 84 may be about 50 feet in length, with an outside diameter in the range of about 4 feet to about 5 feet. These figures are given as examples only. In more or less deep water and to accommodate a larger or smaller number of wells, the dimensions would be adjusted accordingly.

Each length 84 comprises an inner casing member 86, an outer casing member 88, and a plurality of perforated support rings 90 along its length adapted to hold the inner and outer casings in spaced relation to each other. The annular space between the inner and outer casings serves as a passageway, via guide tubes described below, for flow lines, hydraulic lines and the like from the working area at the top of floating production facility to the wells at the bottom, and as buoyancy chambers as will appear below. The invention provides integral guide tubes for all flow lines, control lines, service lines, and the like, passing through the riser. Each guide tube is welded or otherwise sealed into its respective perforation in the uppermost support ring, and extends therefrom through enlarged perforations in the remaining support rings terminating adjacent the riser joint as shown in FIG. 8. Referring to FIG. 9, the space between the inner and outer members 86 and 88 carries a plurality of guide tubes 89, all of which are of the same size. Thus, every tube serves as either a service line, control line, or flow line guide tube. This versatility is an additional advantage of the riser of the invention, and provides a simple and economical riser to fabricate. Further, for example, if it is desired to accommodate a new well after the riser is full to capacity, one set of guide tubes serving a remote well can be made to serve two remote wells by substituting external control lines and using two of the guide tubes in that set for the two flow lines. Alternatively, a number of small control lines could be bundled together into a single-guide tube to thereby control that number of new wells.

In the embodiment of FIG. 10, a first plurality of guide tubes 92 may be provided for conducting flow or service lines 94, and a second plurality of guide tubes 96 may be provided for guiding control lines 98. Again, the following dimensions are given as examples and not in a limiting sense. Guide tubes 92 may have an inside diameter of about 4 inches to accommodate flow lines in the range of 2 to 3 inches, and guide tubes 96 may have an inside diameter of about lk inches to accommodate hydraulic, electrical, or the like control lines. This FIG. 10 embodiment may be preferable under circumstances where it is desirable to reduce the size and weight of the riser overall.

In either embodiment, the rings are provided with suitably formed openings to pass the guide tubes to thereby hold them in the predetermined spaced relation to each other defined by the pattern of openings in each ring. At the upper end of each length 84, a pair of utility lugs are provided for attachment of cables or the like handling means, to facilitate raising, lowering, and handling of the entire riser and the riser sections 84 individually.

All the riser sections are structurally the same, except for the uppermost section and the lowennost section. At the lower end, means are provided to accommodate minor relative motions between the essentially floating riser and the fixed template riser connector 72, and similar such motions, minor shocks, and the like, encountered while connecting and disconnecting the riser from the template. To this end, the inner casing 86 of the lowermost riser section is provided with a flexible portion 102, as are the guide tubes and the flow lines. Since any breakage is most likely to occur at these flexible portions, the outer casing 88 is cut away between the lowermost spacer ring 90 and the next ring 90, as shown in FIG. 7. The extensions 91 extending downwardly from the bottommost ring 90 are extensions of the guide tubes in the riser. These extensions 91 mate with openings in the guide ring 76 of the template riser connector 72. Thus, an essentially continuous guide passageway is formed beginning at the top of the riser, extending through the mating riser section guide tubes, the flexible portions adjacent portion 102, the extensions 91, the guide ring 76, and on to the guide tubes on the template 14.

The uppermost length of the riser assembly is provided with collection means to collect the produced fluids from the wells. To this end, a ring manifold 104 is provided, and is formed with a plurality of valved connecting pipes 106 extending from the ring manifold 104 through outer casing 88 and in fluid communication with end of the flow lines 94. A line 108 connects the ring manifold 104 to collection means or initial fluid handling means, or the like, not shown. Below manifold 104, the uppermost riser section carries a second ring manifold 110, and a second set of valved connectors 112 connecting the manifold 110 to the flow lines in the riser. Thus, the flow line from each well is tapped into both manifolds 104 and 110. Manifold 110 is connected by a line 111 to conventional well testing equipment. To facilitate access to the flow lines, manifolds and other equipment at the top of the riser, the upper end of the outer casing 88 is cut away as shown in FIG. 7. A utility platform 112 closes off the upper ends of the flow lines. Each flow line carries a top end valve 115 to permit vertical access to the flow line. The entire top end of the riser is suitably braced in accordance with said structural engineering practice, said bracing and strengthening members not being shown for the sake of clarity.

In use, the riser 12 is made up on the upper deck 30 in sections in the manner in which conventional drilling risers are made up. Referring to FIG. 8, each joint is made on the inner casings 86 and comprises a male part 81, a mating female part 83, an orienting slot 85, and suitable snap rings, clamps, and seals, all generally designated 87, to form a fluidtight joint. Then, the riser is gradually lowered by means of pulley standards 114 and cables 116 cooperating therewith and with the lugs 100. After the riser is assembled, it is noteworthy that a continuous passageway from the surface to the top of the template is provided through the inner casing 86. It is contemplated that this space in the riser could be utilized, as, for example, a conduit for produced liquids from bottom mounted tanks to the surface, or to a loading buoy, or the like.

Buoyancy of the riser is accomplished by pumping gas or low density liquid from the surface down a gas line to the top of each individual riser section. A bundle of small lines can be put in a single-guide tube with an individual line branching off to service each riser section. The pressurized gas enters the top of the annular buoyancy chamber formed by the inner and outer tubular members and the top ring of the riser, through the gas line. A buoyancy chamber vent hole in the wall of the outer tubular member is located at a precise distance from the top of each riser section so that with the water level in the rise annulus at the vent hole, each riser section is slightly positively buoyant. The inclusion of a vent hole at a precise location provides a positive means of maintaining a certain riser buoyancy regardless of water depth, as long as the buoyancy chamber is gas filled. Decreased riser buoyancy is achieved by decreasing the gas pressure in the buoyancy chamber. Riser buoyancy or ballasting is automatically controlled on the deck of the floating vessel using conventional gas controllers regulated by a weight measuring device attached to the cables 116.

In previous underwater petroliferous production systems, one serious problem has been the manner of connecting flow lines, control lines, and the like, to wellheads. Most of such prior systems either require the services of a diver, or else are so mechanically involved that their cost is prohibitive and repair work often necessitates a diver to retrieve the apparatus for repair at the surface. The simpler types which require a diver are generally connectors designed for use on land and forced into use underwater. The involved mechanical classes of connectors are characterized by a generally horizontal movement of the flow lines and control lines ends into the receptacles designed to receive them. A horizontal movement was thought to be desirable so that the force would be exerted parallel to flowlines on the sea floor. Known apparatuses to achieve such motion are very large, difficult to handle, highly complicated, and exceedingly expensive.

The flow line connector of the invention has one basic structure which has two embodiments; one for well heads or Christmas trees" at the drilling template 14; and the other for remote or satellite wells. In both embodiments connection is made by an essentially vertical motion of the line ends into the receiving receptacles. This flow line connector portion of the invention does not suffer from the above disadvantages, in that it is of simple construction, is relatively inexpensive, provides positive connections, permits the lines to be retrieved, has a minimum number of simple seals utilizing proven sealing principles only, no diver assistance is required, through-theflow line (TFL) operations can be carried out, and no complicated mechanisms are required and no such mechanisms are left at the wellhead.

Referring to FIG. 11, the flow line connector of the invention is shown as applied to a satellite or remote well 16. A wellhead or Christmas tree 118 embodying the invention is provided at the top of well 16. Christmas tree 118 comprises an arm 120 having an open funnel-shaped receptacle portion 122. A pair of flow lines 94 and a control line 98 extend from a guide tube 74 on the drilling template 14 to a holding block 124. The connecting means of the invention comprises a guiding and connecting assembly 126 which comprises a guide ring 128 having an outwardly extending arm 130 which carries the block 124 at its outer end. From block 124 the lines 94 and 98 make a loop and then extend vertically through a portion of arm 130, and terminate at a guide and locking block 132. The lines make a loop of a predetermined diameter between block 124 and arm 130 to permit passage of TFL tools. The ends of the lines 94 and 98 are provided with sealing means 94a and 980, respectively. The sealing means shown in FIG. 11 are identical to those used in the showing of FIGS. 12 to 15 described in detail below.

On arm 130, closely spaced to ring 128, is an operating tube 136. Means are provided to automatically orient the ends 94a and 98a with their appropriate receptacles in funnel portion 122. To this end, ring 128 is formed with a slot 138, which which cooperates with a guide key 140 formed on the Christmas tree body 118. Ring 128, as well as most other devices lowered from the surface, is guided by means of arms or spiders that slide on guide wires extending from each well guide base or pad 70, as shown in some of the other FIGS. and described above.

Means are provided to test the seals made in arm between the flow lines. To this end, a passage 137 is formed in arm 130 and extends to ring 128. Passage 137 communicates with the inside of tube 136. Upon seating, passage 137 communicates with a latching and hydraulic communication groove 139. An internal passageway 141 joins groove 139 to a conduit 142 running to the seals in am 120. The seals are tested by supplying pressurized hydraulic fluid from the surface down tube 136, passage 137, groove 139, passage 141, and conduit 142 to the seals.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 to 15, the connector portion of the invention as applied to a wellhead at the drilling template, as well as the sealing means used in both embodiments of the connector are shown in detail. The Christmas tree 68 at each template location may be of generally conventional construction, with the exception of its arm 150. Arm is formed with a plurality of tapered receptacle openings 152, each provided with a cylindrical sealing portion 154 in line with each tapered portion 152. After sealing portion 154, the arm is formed with a passageway 156 which may pass fluids or a control line, or the like.

Means are provided to assure alignment of the Christmas tree arm 150 with each bundle of guide tubes 66 on the drilling template 14. To this end, arm 150 is provided with a tubular funnel extension 158 which extends outwardly and upwardly from the end face of the arm containing the entrances of the composite receptacles 152, 154 towards the bundle of template guide tubes 66. Beyond portion 158, the arm 150 is provided with a split sheath 160, see FIG. 15, which extends outwardly and upwardly to overlie the bundle of guide tubes 66 on the drilling template 14.

Thus, alignment between the arm 150 and the bundle of guide tubes 66 is assured in a two-step process. Firstly, the Christmas tree 68 is guided by the spider S on the cables C to its landing base 70, the landing base being fabricated in proper aligned relation to the remainder of the template 14 by means of spacer 73. As the Christmas tree is latched in place on the base 70 during its downward motion, final and precise alignment is achieved by the sheath 160 overlying the bundle of guide tubes at each template location. Thereafter, the various flow lines, control lines, and service lines pass through the guide tubes 66 and into their respective receptacles 152, 154 in the arm 150. The various tubes 94 and 98 are provided with said sealing rings 94a and 98a at their ends which cooperate with the cylindrical sealing portion 154 in the arm to form a fluidtight seal. The various tubes are unguided over only the relatively short distance, on the order of l to 2 feet, between the ends of the guide tubes 66 and the entrance ends of the composite receptacle 152, 154.

In regard to a satellite wellhead 18, the angle of approach of the tube ends to the receptacles is more close to vertical, but the manner of sealing is otherwise identical to that described above concerning a template well Christmas tree 68, as will be clear to those skilled in this art.

Referring now to FIGS. 16 and 17, another embodiment of the floating topside facility is shown in detail. The showing of these figures is an alternative to the floating facility 10 of FIG. 1.

The problem to which the embodiment described below is directed is to permit increasing the produced fluids storage capacity of the topside floating facility as required as field development progresses. I-leretofore, if more storage capacity was needed, it was necessary to provide an entire second floating facility similar to the original facility. This process, at best,

resulted in a storage per unit volume per unit time in the combinedtwo vessels equal to this cost in the original facility; but it often resulted in an increased unit cost. Referring to FIG. 16, initially, the topside floating facility 210 comprises a central core 212 to to which the riser 12 is connected in the same manner as the riser is connected to topside facility 10. Core 212 comprises a top deck 214, which may in fact comprise upper and lower decks, and a bottom support member 216. Top deck 214 and support 216 are interconnected by a plurality of vertical structural assemblies 218.

Initially, three outrigger assemblies 220 are provided, each comprising a pontoon member which may be identical to the pontoon members shown in FIG. 1 and described above. Each pontoon 20 is connected to a selected vertical member 218 by a pair of horizontal supporting structures 222. Between each pontoon 20 and its respective vertical supporting member 218, each pair of horizontal supports 222 carry an auxiliary storage tank 224. Thus, when development of a field first begins the topside structure 210 has a basically triangular configuration. The pontoons are interconnected by side bracing 226, analogous to the structural assemblies 22 of FIG. I described above, and are indicated by outlines. If desired, a top deck having a shape analogous to top deck 24 may be then provided, or the entire top of the facility 210 may be covered with one deck. As shown in FIG. 16, the topside facility is provided with only three-eighths of its full capacity. In FIG. 17, capacity has been increased to almost treble the original capacity by addition of five outrigger assemblies 220a, identical to the original three outriggers 220. Thus, as field development progresses, additional outrigger assemblies are added to the central core 212, as needed, thus providing a substantially constant storage cost per unit volume per unit time. Side bracing 226a analogous to the structural members 226 of FIG. 16 and 22 of FIG. I are provided as the expansion progresses, and are indicated by outlines in FIG. 17. Advantages of this expanding capacity topside facility is that storage cost is decreased, a stable floating platform is originally provided, and the stability of this platform is increased as additional storage elements are added. Similar to the discussion above of FIG. ll, a single top deck covering all of the pontoons and structural members, which in the finished shape will have a round or 8 sided appearance, may be provided, and suitable ballasting means will be provided.

While the invention has been described in detail above, it is to be understood that this detailed description is by way of example only, and the protection granted is to be limited only within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims. We claim:

l. A deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a topside-floating facility, a template fixed to the submarine terrain below said floating facility, a riser interconnecting said template and said floating facility, a plurality of submarine well bases fixed to said template, wellheads on at least some of said well bases, guide tube means extending from the region of the wellheads through said riser, and to the topside-floating facility to conduct all of the various well lines from and to said submarine wellheads from said wellheads to said topside-floating facility, and substantially vertical entry connection means between the ends of each of said well lines and each of said wellheads.

2. The combination of claim 1, means at the connection between said riser and said template to provide a quick disconnect between said riser and said template, and means operable from said topside facility to operate said quick disconnect means.

3. The combination of claim 1, said riser comprising a plurality of lengths of riser segments joined together and extending from said topside facility to said template, said plurality of segments including an upper end segment, a lower end segment, and the remainder of said plurality of lengths consisting of a number of similar intermediate segments, each of said segments comprising an inner casing and an outer casing, means to hold said inner and outer casings in spaced relation to each other, said inner and outer casings defining an annular space therebetween, said guide tube means comprising a plurality of guide tubes positioned in said annular space and extending from said topside facility to said template, means to control the overall buoyancy of said riser, and said lower end riser segment comprising means to accommodate minor relative motions between said riser and said template.

4. The combination of claim 3, said buoyancy control means comprising means defining a buoyancy chamber in selected ones of said riser segments, conduit means extending from each of said buoyancy chambers to said topside facility, whereby gaseous material may be selectively pumped into said buoyancy chambers, and a vent hole formed in each of said riser segments in communication with said buoyancy chamber at a spaced distance from the upper end of each of said buoyancy chambers.

5. The combination of claim 3, said motion accommodating means comprising flexible portions of said inner casing at the lower end of said lower end riser segment, and said outer casing of said lower end riser segment terminating above said flexible portion.

6. The combination of claim 3, and said upper end riser segment comprising ting manifold means cooperable with well lines which may be positioned in said guide tubes.

7. The combination of claim 1, said well line to wellhead connection means comprising a generally upwardly extending arm on said wellhead, at least one receptacle formed in said arm extending generally downwardly into said arm from its entrance opening, said receptacle comprising a tapered portion extending downwardly from said entrance opening and a cylindrical portion extending downwardly from the smallest diameter portion of said tapered portion, sealing means on the end of said well line, funnel means extending generally upwardly from the plane in said arm containing the entrance opening of said receptacle, whereby the well line to wellhead connection is made by a substantially vertical motion of a well line end into said funnel means and into said tapered portion of said receptacle end to form a seal between the sealing means on the well line end and said cylindrical portion of said receptacle.

8. The combination of claim 7, said guide tube means on said template terminating short of said funnel means in said wellhead arm, and a split sheath extending towards said guide tube means on said template from the uppermost side of said arm and overlying said guide tube means on said template.

9. The combination of claim 7, said system comprising means to include the lines from wells drilled remotely of said template into the guide tubes means extending from said template through said riser and to said topside facility, the am of each of the wellheads of said remote wells extending substantially vertically upwardly, and flow line holder means cooperable with said remote wellhead for directing the ends of the well lines vertically downwardly into said at least one receptacle in said arm.

10. The combination of claim 7, said sealing means on said well line ends comprising sealing rings cooperable with said cylindrical sealing surface.

11. The combination of claim 10, seal testing means extending from said cylindrical sealing surface in said arm, and means to operate said seal-testing means from said topside facility.

12. The combination of claim 1, said topside facility com prising an expanding capacity storage topside facility including a central core, a first plurality of outrigger assemblies joined to said central core, each of said outrigger assemblies comprising means to store produced hydrocarbon fluids and to control the buoyancy of the topside facility overall, and said central core comprising means to permit the attachment of ad ditional outrigger assemblies substantially identical to the outrigger assemblies of said first plurality.

13. The combination of claim I, said template comprising a central support extending down into the submarine terrain, means to fix said downwardly extending portion in said terrain, said central support comprising a portion extending a predetermined distance upwardly above the surface of said submarine terrain, a framework on said upwardly extending portion of said central support, said frame work being of generally prismatic shape in the region of the surface of said submarine terrain, said prismatic shape being defined by a plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework, a submarine well base fixed to each of said members, whereby said template provides a number of positions from which to drill hydrocarbon producing wells equal to the number of said well bases; said framework comprising a top support member in spaced relation to the top of the upwardly extending end of said central support and inclined members extending from said top support downwardly and outwardly to the region of said well base supporting members; whereby said template framework is of essentially triangular configuration in vertical cross section, said guide tube means comprising a plurality of guide tubes supported on said framework and extending upwardly and inwardly from the region of the well bases thereon substantially coextensively with said inclined framework members to the upper end of said central support, the upper ends of said guide tubes terminating at a common connector member on the uppermost end of said central support, whereby said riser member may be simultaneously connected to all of said guide tubes and any well lines contained therein by connection to said common connector.

14. The combination of claim 13, spacer means interconnecting each of said well bases and its respective bottom coplanar template framework member.

15. The combination of claim 13, said plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework comprising at least 20 such members.

16. A riser for use in a deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a plurality of lengths of riser segments joined together to form the riser column extending from a topside facility to a submarine terrain mounted facility, said riser column comprising an upper end segment, a lower end segment, and a plurality of similar intermediate segments, each of said segments comprising an inner casing and an outer casing and means to hold said inner and outer casings in spaced relation to each other, said inner and outer casings defining an annular space therebetween, a plurality of guide tubes in said annular space extending from said topside facility to said submarine terrain mounted facility, buoyancy control means in at least some of said segments to thereby control the overall buoyancy of said riser column, and said lower end riser segment comprising means to accommodate minor relative motions between said riser column and said submarine terrain mounted facility.

17. The combination of claim 16, said buoyancy control means comprising means defining a buoyancy chamber in selected ones of said riser segments, conduit means extending from each of said buoyancy chambers to said topside facility, whereby gaseous material may be selectively pumped into said buoyancy chambers, and a vent hole formed in each of said riser segments in communication with said buoyancy chamber at a spaced distance from the upper end of each of said buoyance chambers.

18. The combination of claim 16, said motion accommodating means comprising flexible portions of said inner casing at the lower end of said lower end riser segment, and said outer casing of said lower end riser segment terminating above said flexible portion.

19. The combination of claim 16, and said upper end riser segment comprising ring manifold means cooperable with well lines which may be positioned in said guide tubes.

20. A well line to wellhead connector for use in a deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a generally upwardly extending arm on said well head, at least one receptacle formed in said arm extending generally downwardly into said arm from its entrance opening, said entrance opening defining a transverse entrance opening plane in said arm; said receptacle comprising, in tandem, a tapered portion extending and tapering downwardly from said entrance opening plane and a cylindrical portion extending downwardly from the smallest diameter portion of said tapered portion; sealing means on the end of said well line, funnel means extending generally upwardly from said entrance opening plane, whereby the well line to wellhead connection is made by a substantially vertical motion of a well line end into said funnel means and into said tapered portion of said receptacle to form a seal between the sealing means on the well line end and said cylindrical portion of said receptacle.

21. The combination of claim 20, said guide tube means on said template terminating short of said funnel means in said wellhead arm, and a split sheath extending towards said guide tube means on said template from the uppermost side of said arm and overlying said guide tube means on said template.

22. The combination of claim 20, said system comprising means to include the lines from wells drilled remotely of said template into the guide tubes means extending from said template through said riser and to said topside facility, the arm of each of the wellheads of said remote wells extending substantially vertically upwardly, and flow line holder means cooperable with said remote well head for directing the ends of the well lines vertically downwardly into said at least one receptacle in said arm.

23. The combination of claim 20 said sealing means on said well line ends comprising sealing rings cooperable with said cylindrical sealing surface.

24. The combination of claim 20, seal-testing means extend- I ing from said cylindrical sealing surface in said arm, and

means to operate said seal-testing means from said topside facility.

25. A template for use in a deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a central support extending down into the submarine terrain, means to fix said downwardly extending portion in said terrain, said central support comprising a portion extending a predetermined distance upwardly above the surface of said submarine terrain, a framework on said upwardly extending portion of said central support, said framework being of generally prismatic shape in the region of surface of said submarine terrain, said prismatic shape being defined by a plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework, a submarine well base fixed to each of said members, whereby said template provides a number of positions from which to drill hydrocarbon producing wells equal to the number of said well bases: said framework comprising a top support member in downwardly spaced relation to the uppermost end of the upwardly extending end of said central support and inclined members extending from said top support downwardly and outwardly to the region of said well base supporting members; whereby said template framework is of essentially triangular configuration in vertical cross section; a plurality of guide tubes supported on said framework and extending upwardly and inwardly from the region of the well bases thereon substantially coextensively with said inclined framework members to the upper end of said central support, the upper ends of said guide tubes terminating at a common connector member on the uppermost end of said central support, whereby a riser member may be simultaneously connected to all of said guide tubes and any well lines contained therein by connection to said common connector.

26. The combination of claim 25, spacer means interconnecting each of said well bases and its respective bottom coplanar template framework member.

27. The combination of claim 25, said plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework comprising at least twenty such members.

Pod 050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Yatent; N 3,612,177 october 1.2, 1971 Paul L. Gassett, Richard J. Goeken, James E. Knizner Inventor) Francis M. Smith and Lawrence M. Wilson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

r- Column 1, line 49, "wellhead" should be fields, as--. 1

Column line 23, delete "members. Column 4, line 69, l6, should be produced-.

Column 5, line 6, "l6; should be of-.

Column 5, line 43, "wellhead" should be -pontoon decks-- Column 5, line 70, after "completed. add the following paragraph:

-Referring to FIG. 3, the drilling template 14 of the invention is then lowered on the cables C from the surface. Each of the pads 70 carries a relatively short well guide 71, and template 14 is mounted on a central support or post 48. The template 14 is preferably lowere on drill pipe and is preferably located at or close to the sea floor to assure structural integrity. The diameter of central support 48 is such that it will be easily received within casing K. The template 14 is brought to the site by barge or by attaching buoys or the like to it and floating it to the location. The guicf. cables C from the center landing platform L are then run through suitable cable guides, not shown, in the template so that it may be guided down during its descent to the sea floor.

Column 8, line 50 "end should be -each--.

Column 8, line 62 "112" should be --ll3.

Column 9, line l6, "rise" should be -riser--.

Column ll, line 5, delete "to" second occurrence.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of April 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD I I.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system compriSing a topside-floating facility, a template fixed to the submarine terrain below said floating facility, a riser interconnecting said template and said floating facility, a plurality of submarine well bases fixed to said template, wellheads on at least some of said well bases, guide tube means extending from the region of the wellheads through said riser, and to the topside-floating facility to conduct all of the various well lines from and to said submarine wellheads from said wellheads to said topside-floating facility, and substantially vertical entry connection means between the ends of each of said well lines and each of said wellheads.
 2. The combination of claim 1, means at the connection between said riser and said template to provide a quick disconnect between said riser and said template, and means operable from said topside facility to operate said quick disconnect means.
 3. The combination of claim 1, said riser comprising a plurality of lengths of riser segments joined together and extending from said topside facility to said template, said plurality of segments including an upper end segment, a lower end segment, and the remainder of said plurality of lengths consisting of a number of similar intermediate segments, each of said segments comprising an inner casing and an outer casing, means to hold said inner and outer casings in spaced relation to each other, said inner and outer casings defining an annular space therebetween, said guide tube means comprising a plurality of guide tubes positioned in said annular space and extending from said topside facility to said template, means to control the overall buoyancy of said riser, and said lower end riser segment comprising means to accommodate minor relative motions between said riser and said template.
 4. The combination of claim 3, said buoyancy control means comprising means defining a buoyancy chamber in selected ones of said riser segments, conduit means extending from each of said buoyancy chambers to said topside facility, whereby gaseous material may be selectively pumped into said buoyancy chambers, and a vent hole formed in each of said riser segments in communication with said buoyancy chamber at a spaced distance from the upper end of each of said buoyancy chambers.
 5. The combination of claim 3, said motion accommodating means comprising flexible portions of said inner casing at the lower end of said lower end riser segment, and said outer casing of said lower end riser segment terminating above said flexible portion.
 6. The combination of claim 3, and said upper end riser segment comprising ring manifold means cooperable with well lines which may be positioned in said guide tubes.
 7. The combination of claim 1, said well line to wellhead connection means comprising a generally upwardly extending arm on said wellhead, at least one receptacle formed in said arm extending generally downwardly into said arm from its entrance opening, said receptacle comprising a tapered portion extending downwardly from said entrance opening and a cylindrical portion extending downwardly from the smallest diameter portion of said tapered portion, sealing means on the end of said well line, funnel means extending generally upwardly from the plane in said arm containing the entrance opening of said receptacle, whereby the well line to wellhead connection is made by a substantially vertical motion of a well line end into said funnel means and into said tapered portion of said receptacle end to form a seal between the sealing means on the well line end and said cylindrical portion of said receptacle.
 8. The combination of claim 7, said guide tube means on said template terminating short of said funnel means in said wellhead arm, and a split sheath extending towards said guide tube means on said template from the uppermost side of said arm and overlying said guide tube means on said template.
 9. The combination of claim 7, said system comprising means to include the lines from wells drilled remotely of said template into the guide tubes means extending from said template through said riser and to said topside facility, the arm of each of the wellheads of said remote wells extending substantially vertically upwardly, and flow line holder means cooperable with said remote wellhead for directing the ends of the well lines vertically downwardly into said at least one receptacle in said arm.
 10. The combination of claim 7, said sealing means on said well line ends comprising sealing rings cooperable with said cylindrical sealing surface.
 11. The combination of claim 10, seal testing means extending from said cylindrical sealing surface in said arm, and means to operate said seal-testing means from said topside facility.
 12. The combination of claim 1, said topside facility comprising an expanding capacity storage topside facility including a central core, a first plurality of outrigger assemblies joined to said central core, each of said outrigger assemblies comprising means to store produced hydrocarbon fluids and to control the buoyancy of the topside facility overall, and said central core comprising means to permit the attachment of additional outrigger assemblies substantially identical to the outrigger assemblies of said first plurality.
 13. The combination of claim 1, said template comprising a central support extending down into the submarine terrain, means to fix said downwardly extending portion in said terrain, said central support comprising a portion extending a predetermined distance upwardly above the surface of said submarine terrain, a framework on said upwardly extending portion of said central support, said frame work being of generally prismatic shape in the region of the surface of said submarine terrain, said prismatic shape being defined by a plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework, a submarine well base fixed to each of said members, whereby said template provides a number of positions from which to drill hydrocarbon producing wells equal to the number of said well bases; said framework comprising a top support member in spaced relation to the top of the upwardly extending end of said central support and inclined members extending from said top support downwardly and outwardly to the region of said well base supporting members; whereby said template framework is of essentially triangular configuration in vertical cross section, said guide tube means comprising a plurality of guide tubes supported on said framework and extending upwardly and inwardly from the region of the well bases thereon substantially coextensively with said inclined framework members to the upper end of said central support, the upper ends of said guide tubes terminating at a common connector member on the uppermost end of said central support, whereby said riser member may be simultaneously connected to all of said guide tubes and any well lines contained therein by connection to said common connector.
 14. The combination of claim 13, spacer means interconnecting each of said well bases and its respective bottom coplanar template framework member.
 15. The combination of claim 13, said plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework comprising at least 20 such members.
 16. A riser for use in a deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a plurality of lengths of riser segments joined together to form the riser column extending from a topside facility to a submarine terrain mounted facility, said riser column comprising an upper end segment, a lower end segment, and a plurality of similar intermediate segments, each of said segments comprising an inner casing and an outer casing and means to hold said inner and outer casings in spaced relation to each other, said inner and outer casings defining an annular space therebetween, a plurality of guide tubes in said annular space extending from said topside facility to said submarine terrain mounted facility, buoyancy control means in at least some of said segments to thereby control thE overall buoyancy of said riser column, and said lower end riser segment comprising means to accommodate minor relative motions between said riser column and said submarine terrain mounted facility.
 17. The combination of claim 16, said buoyancy control means comprising means defining a buoyancy chamber in selected ones of said riser segments, conduit means extending from each of said buoyancy chambers to said topside facility, whereby gaseous material may be selectively pumped into said buoyancy chambers, and a vent hole formed in each of said riser segments in communication with said buoyancy chamber at a spaced distance from the upper end of each of said buoyance chambers.
 18. The combination of claim 16, said motion accommodating means comprising flexible portions of said inner casing at the lower end of said lower end riser segment, and said outer casing of said lower end riser segment terminating above said flexible portion.
 19. The combination of claim 16, and said upper end riser segment comprising ring manifold means cooperable with well lines which may be positioned in said guide tubes.
 20. A well line to wellhead connector for use in a deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a generally upwardly extending arm on said well head, at least one receptacle formed in said arm extending generally downwardly into said arm from its entrance opening, said entrance opening defining a transverse entrance opening plane in said arm; said receptacle comprising, in tandem, a tapered portion extending and tapering downwardly from said entrance opening plane and a cylindrical portion extending downwardly from the smallest diameter portion of said tapered portion; sealing means on the end of said well line, funnel means extending generally upwardly from said entrance opening plane, whereby the well line to wellhead connection is made by a substantially vertical motion of a well line end into said funnel means and into said tapered portion of said receptacle to form a seal between the sealing means on the well line end and said cylindrical portion of said receptacle.
 21. The combination of claim 20, said guide tube means on said template terminating short of said funnel means in said wellhead arm, and a split sheath extending towards said guide tube means on said template from the uppermost side of said arm and overlying said guide tube means on said template.
 22. The combination of claim 20, said system comprising means to include the lines from wells drilled remotely of said template into the guide tubes means extending from said template through said riser and to said topside facility, the arm of each of the wellheads of said remote wells extending substantially vertically upwardly, and flow line holder means cooperable with said remote well head for directing the ends of the well lines vertically downwardly into said at least one receptacle in said arm.
 23. The combination of claim 20 said sealing means on said well line ends comprising sealing rings cooperable with said cylindrical sealing surface.
 24. The combination of claim 20, seal-testing means extending from said cylindrical sealing surface in said arm, and means to operate said seal-testing means from said topside facility.
 25. A template for use in a deep water submarine hydrocarbon producing system comprising a central support extending down into the submarine terrain, means to fix said downwardly extending portion in said terrain, said central support comprising a portion extending a predetermined distance upwardly above the surface of said submarine terrain, a framework on said upwardly extending portion of said central support, said framework being of generally prismatic shape in the region of surface of said submarine terrain, said prismatic shape being defined by a plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework, a submarine well base fixed to each of said members, whereby said template provides a number of positions from which to drill hydrocarbon producing wElls equal to the number of said well bases: said framework comprising a top support member in downwardly spaced relation to the uppermost end of the upwardly extending end of said central support and inclined members extending from said top support downwardly and outwardly to the region of said well base supporting members; whereby said template framework is of essentially triangular configuration in vertical cross section; a plurality of guide tubes supported on said framework and extending upwardly and inwardly from the region of the well bases thereon substantially coextensively with said inclined framework members to the upper end of said central support, the upper ends of said guide tubes terminating at a common connector member on the uppermost end of said central support, whereby a riser member may be simultaneously connected to all of said guide tubes and any well lines contained therein by connection to said common connector.
 26. The combination of claim 25, spacer means interconnecting each of said well bases and its respective bottom coplanar template framework member.
 27. The combination of claim 25, said plurality of bottom coplanar members of said framework comprising at least twenty such members. 